Our 7-night Columbia River cruises are popular every year, but sometimes you just want a little more time to explore! The new ‘Northwest Pioneers’ itinerary affords you that time to dig a little deeper.

You’ll board the American Pride – new to the Columbia River for 2016 – in Astoria, Oregon. Near Fort Clatsop, where the Corps of Discovery wintered, Astoria is home to the Columbia River Maritime Museum and the Astoria Column, which offers the 2nd best view of the Columbia River. Other trip highlights include a ride on the Mt Hood Railway in Hood River, a tour of the frontier town of Pendleton, a visit to Mt. St. Helens’ Johnston Ridge Observatory, and a jet boat tour of Hells Canyon.

You’ll visit Columbia River Maritime Museum, where the American Pride is docked. Other potential places to visit could include the Astoria Column or Fort Clatsop. Local Tip: The easiest tour of Astoria is to ride the Astoria Trolley! It’s $1 for one trip, or pay $2 for a hand stamp and ride as much as you want that day. The Trolley runs from one end of town to the other all day. The conductors are great tour guides, pointing out historical places and interesting Astoria facts. The American Pride will be docked in front of the Columbia River Maritime Museum, and there is a trolley stop right in front of the museum!

Day 2: Mt. St. Helens

You’ll visit Johnston’s Ridge Observatory at Mt. St. Helens. Have your cameras ready, because the views of the volcano are stunning. Local Tip:Be sure to watch the video. Listening to David Johnston, the volcanologist for whom the observatory is named, yell out his final warning, “Vancouver! Vancouver! This is it!” is stunning and gives a personal mark to the eruption.

Day 3: Portland, OR

The City of Roses is open to you! Local Tip: You could book yourself a taxi, skip Portland and jump across the river (and by jump, I mean safely cross the bridge) to our side and visit Fort Vancouver. Visiting Vancouver could be a great addition to your cruise!

Multnomah Falls

Day 4: Stevenson, WA

TODAY IS THE DAY that you’ll visit the world-famous Multnomah Falls! It doesn’t matter if it’s the tallest or the 400th tallest – the Falls are still gorgeous! You’ll also visit the Bonneville Dam and the Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center. Local Tip: There are signs marking all the falls: Multnomah Falls, Horsetail Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, etc. The sign that says, “Shepherd’s Dell” is also a waterfall! Don’t pass it by without looking!

Day 5: Hood River, OR

Hood River is a beautiful town, sitting at the base of Mt Hood. You could take a ride on Mt. Hood Railroad, heading up the mountain for great views of the Gorge and Mt Hood! Local Tip: Hood River has amazing breweries and wineries! Just take a walk around downtown and you’ll find hidden treats on every corner. And a great place for souvenirs (and get a laugh out of your friends at home): get a bottle at the Naked Winery!

Day 6: The Dalles, OR

Sitting between Mt. Hood and Mt. Adams, The Dalles was the last stop on the Oregon Trail. Included is a visit to the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center – a stunning museum documenting the ancient history of the region to the various groups of people who have occupied the region. There’s even a display about riverboats – makes a great photo op! Local Tip: If you want to adventure across the river, you can visit Maryhill Museum of Art. Take some time to walk around the outdoor sculpture garden and walk over to Stonehenge. Built as a replica of the original, this Stonehenge stands as a World War I memorial, completed in 1929.

Day 7: Pendleton, OR

Journey south to the wild west town of Pendleton, OR! The underground city tour is highly suggested, and will introduce you to the secrets of this city and it’s history in the frontier. Or visit the Pendleton Woolen Mill and Museum, famous for the town’s woven masterpieces that they’ve been creating for more than 100 years! Onboard, representatives from the Bernard Griffin Winery will lead our cocktail hour with an exclusive wine tasting!

Day 8: Richland, WA

Once upon a time, this was a village known as Chemna, sitting at the mouth of the Yakima River, where Native Americans would harvest salmon runs. The Lewis & Clark Expedition visited Chemna on October 17, 1805. The small farming town of Richland was formed in 1910, until it became a bedroom community for workers on the Army’s Manhattan Project at nearby Hanford. A 5-minute walk from the ship, tour REACH Museum to learn about the creation of the first atomic bomb. Using Hanford Reach National Monument as the focal point, the museum tells the story of the people, the land and the river that connects it all with artifacts and exhibits of the people and the only complete baby woolly mammoth skeleton.

Day 9: Day of River Cruising

Take a moment to remember everything you’ve seen, heard, experienced in the last week. Catch up on your journal, organize your photos, or just claim a sofa in the lounge and relax with a good book. The Snake River makes a gorgeous backdrop as the ship continues East.

Day 10: Clarkston, WA

At the Washington/Idaho border, lies the twin towns of Clarkston and Lewiston (sound familiar?). Our ship will dock in Clarkston, near Hells Canyon. It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that everyone take the jet boat tour – nearly every client says its one of their cruise highlights. Hells Canyon is a 10-mile wide canyon, carved 15,000 years ago. The jet boat will take you alongside the canyon walls to view ancient Native pictographs, as well as show off the changes in the geography of the canyon from high desert to alpine forests.

Day 11: Disembark in Clarkston, WA

You’ll disembark the ship after breakfast.

Ask our agents about adding a pre-cruise hotel stay in Portland to spend time exploring the City of Roses, or a post-cruise stay in Spokane!